Of course, the stove breaks....

when you need to have three dozen cookies by Saturday afternoon and you find out about it at 9:50 p.m. I can't tell what is funnier: trying to fix the oven by directions over the phone or attempting to cook biscuits at 450 degrees in a toaster oven (I'll say it kind of works, but not very successfully and I wouldn't do it on a regular basis....we'll put it in the same boat at a blow-torch broiler). Who knew that you could have an electric gas stove (no, I'm not pulling one on you or being a girl that doesn't know what she's talking about). Evidently, we have no regular pilot light. We have a pilot light that comes from an electrical charge. Yeah, I don't really understand why, either. All I have to say is that I've always hated that stupid oven. Oh well, God's blessing seems to come even at times that surprise us. Someone out here in po-dunk nowhereville actually has the part and will tell Nathan how to fix it himself to save money. How gracious God is to us (even when we complain about the things He blesses). It is almost enough to make me want to like that stupid oven.

Please, Please Pray

Please pray for my friend who just had her baby. He does have spina bifida. There are a huge number of blessings and a lot of challanges ahead. Baby Titus was almost 8 lbs. and over 19" long. His back was completely closed (which is a miracle, being as the doctors said as late as last week that it wasn't). He goes in for surgery today. They have had many up and down updates. Please pray for all involved and that God will be glorified by the progress that is made.

Know-It-All Children

Dear Mom,

I am dreadfully sorry for all of the times that I insisted that my knowledge surpassed that of your aged wisdom. I realize now how young and stupid I really was. I think that I always expected this day to arrive, however I hoped to make it at least to my son's third birthday before reaching the monumental cairn of life called "Mom is now stupid and knows how to do nothing in this world."

Today, my beautiful son realized that, at the ripe age of three, he KNEW how to get something open that my frail, female, 26 year old brain just would not be able to figure out. It is beyond the streets of shivelry, past the point of politeness, and reached a turn down the overlook to outrageous and demeaning. For goodness sake, I am the one who is still trying to convince his little brain that pottying in the pot is a good idea, and now HE is telling ME how the world works. It just is not reasonable.

However, in the haze of the madness of the situation, it occured to me that it was not that long ago that I recall pulling the same prank on you. How often the pain and frustration of life might have passed me by had I only listened and heeded your advice....especially on the mundane, "Don't touch that; it's hot" warning. If only I really heard the urgency of your heed to stop what I was doing BEFORE someone poked an eye out. Had I only translated that tone in your voice properly before exiting the house after the exasperated, "Are you really wearing THAT outfit tonight?" Oh, the wisdom you gave and I left it on the doorstep like yesterday's newspaper.

So, I truly am sorry for not listening to your advice. I realize that you really DID know what you were talking about, that your years of learning the hard way gave you some really great tips, and I did store them away in the back of my mind. I plan to spend some good time unpacking those boxes and organizing them into useful ways to practice what you preached.

With Love,
Your Favorite Daughter

Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 12:28

Of Mice and Men

Just a quick update. It has been over two weeks now since the last trailings of a mouse in my house. I believe that is what they mean by "winning the war on terror." (okay...probably not the original intent of the phrase, but believe me, it has never felt more true!) Included on this post is a link for all of my friends who wish to never suffer again at the expense of unwelcome rodents. We may never know what the mystery animal in my house was, but ding, dong the rodent's dead! (or, at least, not taking up residence in our house)

The Last Rodent Repeller You'll Ever Need!

The Cake Project

This is the cake I made for Meg's wedding shower. It was a fun first cake decorating project. I hope it tastes yummy!

A Small Victory

A quick update on the mousecapades. Plug in happened Monday mid-day in the house for the miracle machine to fend off the evil mice in my house. Tuesday morning we woke up to evidence that a mouse feasted off of our dirty dishes during the night (which my husband graciously cleaned up before the kids or I knew the difference). And today....today came the winds of sweet victory. One of the longer mice that I've ever seen met his end last night at the suspected point-of-entry to the basement. We now know that they have been coming in from the garage. I hope they smell doom in the air and rest tonight knowing that it very well could be their last. One by one, we are going after them like a hawk circling a field! Victory will be ours!

The War Begins

I just wanted to let you all know that the machine to rid my house of rodents arrived in the mail this weekend. The war officially begins today. Nathan and I will spend some time over the next few days deep cleaning the basement and plugging the noise-maker (only to rodents, of course) in order to drive out the pests in my basement (I can say that now because Meg moved out this weekend, and she was no pest). I will keep you updated on our progress, but just rest assured tonight that we are taking the upper hand! We will be victorious!